U.S. patent number 10,617,054 [Application Number 15/979,549] was granted by the patent office on 2020-04-14 for method and agricultural utility machine for spreading crop.
This patent grant is currently assigned to DEERE & COMPANY. The grantee listed for this patent is DEERE & COMPANY. Invention is credited to Norbert Fritz, Valentin Gresch, Martin Kremmer, Florian Reinmuth, Florian Schott, Christian Waibel.
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United States Patent |
10,617,054 |
Gresch , et al. |
April 14, 2020 |
Method and agricultural utility machine for spreading crop
Abstract
A method for distributing delivered crop during a spreading
operation includes providing an agricultural utility machine and a
spreading tool movably mounted thereto, automatically controlling a
motion of the spreading tool, and spreading crop by the spreading
tool.
Inventors: |
Gresch; Valentin (Pfaffikon SZ,
CH), Reinmuth; Florian (Sinsheim, DE),
Fritz; Norbert (Ilvesheim, DE), Waibel; Christian
(Mannheim, DE), Kremmer; Martin (Mannheim,
DE), Schott; Florian (Bensheim, DE) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DEERE & COMPANY |
Moline |
IL |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DEERE & COMPANY (Moline,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
62116755 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/979,549 |
Filed: |
May 15, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20180332760 A1 |
Nov 22, 2018 |
|
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2017 [DE] |
|
|
10 2017 208 558 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01B
69/004 (20130101); A01B 59/066 (20130101); A01F
25/186 (20130101); A01B 63/111 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01B
63/111 (20060101); A01B 59/06 (20060101); A01F
25/18 (20060101); A01B 69/00 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2615525 |
|
Oct 1977 |
|
DE |
|
8700031 |
|
May 1987 |
|
DE |
|
60130611 |
|
Jul 2008 |
|
DE |
|
102008063852 |
|
Jul 2010 |
|
DE |
|
102015004325 |
|
May 2016 |
|
DE |
|
1508264 |
|
Feb 2005 |
|
EP |
|
1825740 |
|
Aug 2007 |
|
EP |
|
3138733 |
|
Mar 2017 |
|
EP |
|
3338532 |
|
Jun 2018 |
|
EP |
|
2453598 |
|
Nov 1980 |
|
FR |
|
Other References
European Search Report issued in counterpart application No.
18170904.9 dated Sep. 6, 2018. (8 pages). cited by applicant .
German Search Report issued in counterpart application No.
102017208558.4 dated Jan. 22, 2018. (10 pages). cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Weber; Tamara L
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A method for distributing delivered crop during a spreading
operation, comprising: providing an agricultural utility machine
and a spreading tool movably mounted thereto; automatically
controlling a motion of the spreading tool; spreading crop by the
spreading tool; providing a defined coordinate system; determining
a position or an orientation of the spreading tool in the defined
coordinate system; and determining the position or orientation of
the spreading tool relative to a silo.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the spreading step comprises
spreading the crop in a silo.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling the motion
of the spreading tool so that a defined working height of the
spreading tool is set relative to a reference surface.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising packing the spread
crop during a packing operation.
5. A method for distributing delivered crop during a spreading
operation, comprising: providing an agricultural utility machine
and a spreading tool movably mounted thereto; automatically
controlling a motion of the spreading tool; spreading crop by the
spreading tool; controlling the motion of the spreading tool so
that a defined working height of the spreading tool is set relative
to a reference surface; and defining the working height such that
the crop is completely spread by the spreading tool during a single
traverse of a spreading path.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: providing a defined
coordinate system; and determining a position or an orientation of
the spreading tool in the defined coordinate system.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining the
position or orientation of the spreading tool relative to a
silo.
8. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the
reference surface as a surface contour along a spreading path for
the spreading of the crop.
9. The method of claim 5, further comprising changing the working
height during the spreading operation.
10. The method of claim 5, further comprising defining the working
height during the spreading operation in dependence on at least one
of a remaining crop still to be spread during a spreading operation
and a remaining path along a spreading path for the spreading of
the crop.
11. A method for distributing delivered crop during a spreading
operation, comprising: providing an agricultural utility machine
and a spreading tool movably mounted thereto; automatically
controlling a motion of the spreading tool; spreading crop by the
spreading tool; packing the spread crop during a packing operation;
and determining a packing density of the packed crop based on at
least one of at least one parameter of a utility machine used for
packing, at least one parameter of the crop, and a number of
packing cycles already carried out during the packing
operation.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing at least
one more packing cycle during the packing operation based on the
determined packing density.
13. An agricultural utility machine, comprising: a chassis of the
machine; a spreading tool movably mounted to the chassis for
spreading crop during a spreading operation; an arrangement
including at least a control device, the control device configured
to automatically control a movement of the spreading tool during
the spreading operation; and a defined coordinate system, wherein
the control device is configured to determine a position or an
orientation of the spreading tool in the defined coordinate system;
wherein the control device is configured to determine the position
or orientation of the spreading tool relative to a silo.
14. The machine of claim 13, wherein the arrangement comprises a
hydraulic hitch coupled to the chassis, the hitch being movably
mounted to the spreading tool.
15. The machine of claim 14, wherein the hitch comprises a three
point hitch.
16. The machine of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of
lights individually controllable for activation and deactivation
based on at least one of an orientation of the spreading tool and a
forward or reverse travel of the utility machine.
17. The machine of claim 13, wherein the spreading tool comprises a
working height, the control device controlling the movement of the
spreading tool so that the working height of the spreading tool is
set relative to a reference surface.
18. An agricultural utility machine, comprising: a chassis of the
machine; a spreading tool movably mounted to the chassis for
spreading crop during a spreading operation; and an arrangement
including at least a control device, the control device configured
to automatically control a movement of the spreading tool during
the spreading operation; wherein the spreading tool comprises a
working height, the control device controlling the movement of the
spreading tool so that the working height of the spreading tool is
set relative to a reference surface; and wherein the working height
is defined such that the crop is completely spread by the spreading
tool during a single traverse of a spreading path.
19. The machine of claim 18, further comprising a defined
coordinate system, wherein the control device is configured to
determine a position or an orientation of the spreading tool in the
defined coordinate system.
20. The machine of claim 19, wherein the control device is
configured to determine the position or orientation of the
spreading tool relative to a silo.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to German Patent Application Ser.
No. 10 2017 208 558.4, filed May 19, 2017, the disclosure of which
is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present disclosure relates to a method and an agricultural
utility machine for spreading crop.
BACKGROUND
Agricultural utility machines are used, among other things, for
processing crop. EP 1 825 740 A1 discloses that the compaction
properties of crop are of great importance for optimizing crop
packing operations in the storage of crop in silos.
There are issues in conventional agricultural utility vehicles with
spreading, or packing, crop uniformly in an efficient way. In the
present disclosures, embodiments are described for overcoming the
issues in the art.
SUMMARY
In a first embodiment of the present disclosure, delivered crop is
spread during a spreading operation by a spreading tool, which is
movably mounted on an agricultural utility machine. Here the
spreading tool is situated, for example, in a front region of a
forward moving agricultural utility machine. The spreading tool is
made as a pusher blade, which pushes the crop forward and spreads
it. Alternatively, the spreading tool can be designed as a silo
spreader or the like. During the spreading or a packing operation,
the spreading tool is at least partially, completely, automatically
motion controlled. In this case the agricultural utility machine
has an appropriate arrangement for motion control of the spreading
tool. The arrangement can, for example, contain a hydraulic hitch
for movable positioning of the spreading tool, a control device
controlling the hydraulic lift, and a suitable sensor system.
The automatic motion control of the spreading tool enables
automatic and accurate matching of it to physical and topographical
boundary conditions during the spreading operation. The driver of
the utility machine is unburdened during the spreading operation
through this. Overall, a precise and time-wise efficient spreading
of the crop is supported. A suitable sensor system for detection of
the spreading tool or its environment, one or more control
device(s) for processing the detected data, and, if necessary,
additional components as parts of a system for motion control allow
the automatic motion control of the spreading tool to be
implemented in a technically simple way and at low cost. In
particular, data from sensors, which are already present on the
utility machine anyway to routinely carry out other purposes, are
used here.
The spreading tool is completely, automatically motion controlled
during the spreading operation, i.e., from the beginning to the end
of the spreading operation. In particular, a user (for example, a
driver of the agricultural utility machine) can replace the
automatic motion control by a manual control of the spreading tool,
if necessary.
The agricultural utility machine is generally a mobile utility
machine for agricultural use, in particular, a tractor. Also, other
utility machines, such as wheeled loaders or snowcats can
optionally be used, provided they are adapted or modified for the
spreading operation. The crop is usually delivered to the spreading
site by a loading truck and spread there by means of the utility
machine.
The spreading site can be variously designed. In an embodiment, the
spreading site is designed as a silo, which in particular has a
solid bottom and solid sidewalls. Fresh or wilted biomass (for
example, green fodder) is put into the silo, spread, and packed
there in layers.
In order to support accuracy during the automatic motion control of
the spreading tool, a position or orientation of the spreading tool
is determined in a defined coordinate system. For this, the
surroundings of the spreading tool can be represented by a defined
coordinate system. Orientation of the spreading tool means its tilt
relative to a defined reference axis or reference plane (for
example, earth vertical, earth horizontal, or the utility machine).
The coordinate data of the spreading tool is indirectly determined
in a global coordinate system by first determining position and
orientation data of the utility machine via a satellite-supported
position determining system (for example, GNSS receiver with
integrated inertial measurement unit) and the position or
orientation of the spreading tool are determined by processing the
data. The position or orientation of the spreading tool are
determined relative to the silo that is to be filled with crop. For
this purpose, the silo and its lateral boundaries are stored in the
defined coordinate system as coordinates. The known position or
orientation of the spreading tool can then contribute to
calculating a trajectory (in particular, a three-dimensional
trajectory) for the spreading tool with high precision, so as to
support efficient and uniform spreading of the crop in the
silo.
Taking into account the coordinates, it is also possible to
calculate a meaningful path for the utility machine and to display
it to the driver via a visual indicator unit, display, or the like.
If the utility machine follows the displayed path during a
spreading operation, the calculated spreading tool trajectory can
be used for the automatic motion control of the spreading tool. For
example, the spreading tool is motion controlled so that its lower
blade edge follows the intended spreading tool trajectory. In
particular, the spreading tool trajectory becomes automatically, or
dynamically, adjusted in dependence on current data during the
spreading operation, so that uniform spreading of the crop, in
particular a uniform filling of the silo, is supported.
At or after the end of the spreading operation, the spreading tool
is automatically raised, in order to enable an expeditious and
hindrance-free travel, in particular reverse travel, of the utility
machine from the region of the spreading surface.
It is a benefit for an additional unburdening of the driver or
operator of the utility machine during the desired uniform
spreading of the crop if the spreading tool is motion controlled in
dependence on a defined working height of the spreading tool. The
working height can, for example, be defined as a distance between a
lower edge of a pusher plate and the reference surface. The
trajectory and consequently the automatic motion control of the
spreading tool can then take place in dependence on the defined
working height.
According to another design, it is advantageous for the automatic
motion control of the spreading tool to take into account a
reference surface, which is determined or detected as a surface
contour along a spreader path for the spreading of the crop. The
surface (for example, a bottom of a silo or an already spread or
packed crop layer) is determined, for example, from previous passes
over the already spread and packed crop. The data for this are
obtained via suitable detection means and by taking into account
the geometry of the utility machine. The detection means contain,
for example, a GNSS receiver with integrated inertial measurement
unit and, in addition, a sensor system (ultrasound or stereo
camera).
In addition, for uniform spreading of the crop, it is beneficial if
the working height can be changed during the spreading operation.
In particular, the working height is varied in dependence on the
crop that is to be spread. In this way the automatic motion control
can be individually matched to the remaining crop that is still be
spread during the spreading operation, so as to achieve spreading
that is as uniform as possible.
The working height is defined and optionally changed during the
spreading operation so that the delivered crop that is to be spread
is completely spread by the spreading tool during a single pass
through a spreading path. Through this, cost-increasing added
passes of the utility machine are reliably avoided.
In particular, the variably definable and optionally variable
working height makes it possible for it to be matched to a desired
uniform layer thickness of the crop that is to be spread during a
spreading operation. The layer thickness can then, in particular at
a thickness of 20 cm to 40 cm, be defined in dependence on the
properties of the crop, a packing ability of the utility machine or
another vehicle in reference to the spread crop layer, or a
spreading path to be traversed by the spreading tool, in particular
a length of the silo.
Advantageously, the working height is defined and optionally
changed during the spreading operation in dependence on at least
one of the following parameters: remaining crop still to be spread
during a spreading operation, and a path still remaining along a
spreading path for the spreading of the crop.
The remaining crop can be estimated via appropriate detection means
(for example, a sensor system, stereo camera) with respect to its
volume or its mass.
In one embodiment, the ply or layer of spread crop is then packed.
This means that after a spreading operation, which in particular
can already be completed after a single traverse of a spreading
path (for example, along the lengthwise extent of a silo) by means
of the spreading tool, a packing operation then takes place. The
packing operation contains a single packing pass or packing cycle
(for example, a combined forward and backward pass of the utility
machine used for packing) or a sequence of several packing cycles
(for example, several combined forward and backward passes).
Several packing cycles means in particular a plurality of
successive packing activities or passes of a utility machine along
the same spreading path before a subsequent spreading operation
begins.
For packing, the same utility machine, for example, travels over
the already spread crop. In this case, its tires can already cause
packing to occur. The spreading tool can be exchanged for a packing
tool in the form of a silo roller or the like, where to avoid a
time-consuming tool exchange, the spreading tool can also be
mounted on a front hydraulic hitch and the packing tool can be
mounted on a rear hydraulic hitch of the utility machine.
Alternatively, the packing can take place by means of another
appropriate utility machine with a packing function (for example,
by means of suitable tires) or a packing tool. In a spreading
operation, the utility machine makes, for example, one forward pass
along the length of a silo so as to spread the delivered crop along
a spreading path. In a packing operation, the same or a different
utility machine carries out a packing cycle or a plurality of
packing cycles along the length of a silo.
In an alternative embodiment, the packing of a spread crop
disclosed is carried out independent of the way or with which
machine the crop was previously spread. To guarantee stable
preservation of the crop, a high packing density is important. This
is particularly true for fresh or wilted biomass or cut material
that is put into a silo and is fed as silage. In order to determine
a current packing density with sufficient accuracy, a stored or
entered parameter or characteristic is used by a control device to
calculate the packing density. At least one of the following
parameters is taken into account: at least one parameter of the
utility machine used for packing, at least one parameter of the
crop, and a number of packing cycles already conducted during the
current packing operation.
Machine-specific properties are suitable as the specific parameter
of the utility machine used for packing, for example, the tires of
the utility machine, the tire contact surface, tire pressure, tire
position, weight of the utility machine, axle load distribution,
geometric data of the spreading tool such as width and height, and
position of the mounting point of the spreading tool on the utility
machine. For example, individual parameters like tires and tire
position (or the corresponding parameters of a packing tool such as
a silo roller) are selected from a memory unit or an available
databank. By taking into account the tire pressure, which can be
manually entered in the operator interface or measured by a tire
pressure control system, the corresponding tire contact surfaces
can be determined by means of the memory unit or databank. For the
determination of the packing density, a packing pressure in
particular is calculated, which is dependent on the relevant axle
load, the orientation (tilt and roll angle) of the utility machine
used for packing and the tire contact surface. The weight of the
utility machine (optionally with added weights or the spreading
tool) and an axle load distribution can be manually entered by the
operator via the operator interface. Alternatively, the weight of
the utility machine and its axle loads can be automatically
determined by processing various parameters on the utility machine
and then made available as data in the memory unit. Geometric data
for the spreading tool or the packing tool are likewise entered via
the operator interface and then stored in the memory unit.
Alternatively, individual items of the data can be sent to an
electronic interface of the utility machine via an external
electronic connection (for example, a mobile radio), instead of via
the operator interface, and then sent further to the memory unit,
for example, via a control device.
Specific parameters of the crop are selected via an operator
interface on the utility machine. Alternatively, relevant
parameters of the crop can be detected directly from the previously
active harvesting machine, for example, via a crop moisture and
nutrients sensor or via the setting of a chop length in the case of
field choppers. The data can then be transmitted from the
harvesting machine electronically (for example, by mobile radio) to
the utility machine used for packing. In particular, the type of
crop (for example, corn silage, grass silage), the moisture of the
crop (for example, wet, medium wet, dry), and the chop length of
the crop are in particular taken into account as parameters. Wet
crop can be packed more easily and therefore needs fewer packing
cycles or lower packing pressure for a sufficient packing density.
In the same way, the chop length is relevant, since shorter chopped
pieces can be better packed.
A decision can be made whether an additional number of packing
cycles is necessary within the current packing operation as a
function of the current packing density. The additional number can
be a single packing cycle or a sequence of several packing cycles.
For an efficient packing operation, it is beneficial to transmit
the determined number of additional packing cycles to an operator
of the utility machine via a visual indicator unit (display) of an
operator interface.
In particular, the decision whether an additional number of packing
cycles is necessary within the packing operation is made dependent
on a comparison between the measured current packing density and a
preset value of a minimum packing density. The value of the minimum
packing density is dependent, in particular, on properties or
parameters of the crop. The values of minimum packing densities can
be obtained from empirical experiments and stored in a memory unit.
With regard to the comparison of a current packing density with the
preset minimum packing density, a current reference surface or
surface contour in the area of the spreading and packing activities
can be divided into surface segments. The passes of the associated
tires (for example, tractor tires) of the utility machine or
individual roller segments in the case of a silo roller mounted
thereon are summed up for each individual surface segment, taking
into account the packing pressure and the speed of travel. If a
value of the minimum packing density, which is dependent on
properties of the crop, has been reached, the affected surface
segment is characterized as sufficiently packed.
Then a next driving path is specified to a driver (or an automatic
steering system) of the packing utility machine or a signal is sent
that a new spreading operation can be carried out. If a plurality
of utility machines is being used in the area of the spreading and
packing activities (for example, in a silo), the machines can
communicate by means of an electronic interface (for example,
mobile radio) and exchange data regarding achieved packing
densities, etc., for individual surface segments and with reference
to planned or established packing and spreading operations.
In one embodiment, the spreading tool can be movably mounted
directly on a chassis or support structure of the utility machine.
In this case the position of the spreading tool can be set, for
example, via two lateral lift cylinders. A change of its
orientation or tilt relative to the utility machine in this case is
frequently not possible. In order to enable a change of the
orientation relative to the utility machine in a technically simple
way, the spreading tool is movably mounted via a hydraulic hitch
(in particular, a front hydraulic hitch) on the utility machine,
i.e., directly on the chassis or support structure of the utility
machine. The hydraulic hitch is made as a three-point hitch with an
upper lift arm or as a four-point hitch with two upper lift arms.
The spreading tool is mounted in an articulated way to the
hydraulic hitch. The hydraulic hitch can be controlled via a
suitable arrangement (for example, sensor system, control device).
Correspondingly, the spreading tool is at least partially, in
particular completely, automatically motion controllable.
In another embodiment, the utility machine carrying the spreading
tool is, especially for night operation, outfitted with an
arrangement of lights which can be individually activated and
deactivated or switched on and off. In particular, the arrangement
of lights is made as an arrangement of light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
on the utility machine. The individually controllable lights allow
them to be controlled independent of the current operating area of
the utility machine. The control takes place in dependence on at
least one of the following features: a tilt of the spreading tool,
in particular, relative to the utility machine, and a forward or
reverse travel of the utility machine.
In this way the arrangement of lights can react, for example, to
changes of position or orientation of the spreading tool. Lights
with a light cone aimed at the current position of the spreading
tool can be activated, while other lights not focused on the
current position of the spreading tool can be or can remain
deactivated. Consequently, the current operating area in front of
or behind the utility machine can be optimally lighted without
blinding any operator or driver of other machines (for example,
drivers of a loader wagon that is delivering new crop). Individual
lights can be aimed in the driving direction both forward or
backward, so that the lights can also be controlled independently
from a forward or reverse travel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above-mentioned aspects of the present disclosure and the
manner of obtaining them will become more apparent and the
disclosure itself will be better understood by reference to the
following description of the embodiments of the disclosure, taken
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side view of an agricultural utility machine with a
spreading tool;
FIG. 2 shows the utility machine of FIG. 1 during a spreading
operation; and
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a data process during a packing
operation.
Corresponding reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The embodiments of the present disclosure described below are not
intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise
forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the
embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the
art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of
the present disclosure.
FIG. 1 shows a mobile and agricultural utility machine 10 made as a
tractor, or a vehicle with a chassis or support structure 11, on
which a front hydraulic hitch 12 and a rear hydraulic hitch 14 are
mounted. A spreading tool 16 in the form of a pusher blade is
movably mounted on the front hydraulic hitch 12. The spreading tool
16 serves to spread and level crop 18, for example, corn or grass
silage. In other embodiments the blade can be replaced by a
different spreading tool 16 (for example, a silo spreader). For
packing of the spread crop 20, the spreading tool 16 on the front
hydraulic hitch 12 can be replaced by a packing tool (for example,
silo roller), which is not shown here.
The spreading tool 16 is automatically motion controlled via the
front hydraulic hitch 12. For this purpose, the front hydraulic
hitch 12 is controlled by an arrangement which has a control device
22 and a connected memory unit 24. The spreading tool 16 is hinged
to two lower arms 28, which are aligned across the plane of the
page via two lower hitch points 26. The spreading tool 16 is hinged
to an upper link arm 32 via an upper hitch point 30.
A position P (for example, in the region of lower hitch points 26,
which are still to be described) and an orientation (for example, a
tilt angle W_n of a plane of the spreading tool 16 relative to a
driving horizon FH or driving direction FR or relative to another
reference parameter such as a vertical direction HR of the utility
machine 10) of the spreading tool 16 are established for a specific
setting of the front hydraulic hitch 12 by a calibration operation.
For this, geometric data of the spreading tool 16 are also stored
in the memory unit 24. Based on the calibration, changes of
position and orientation of the spreading tool 16 can be
automatically achieved by the control device 22 by appropriately
controlling the front hydraulic hitch 12 as soon as a change of
position or orientation is determined to be necessary.
To determine the position P and the orientation of the spreading
tool 16 in a defined (for example, global) coordinate system, a
position and orientation of the utility machine 10 are first
determined via a receiver unit 15 (for example, GNSS) with an
integrated inertial measurement unit. By processing the data and
taking into account the setting of the front hydraulic hitch 12,
the position P and the orientation of the spreading tool 16 can
then be determined. In the coordinate system, the coordinates of a
silo, in particular a bunker silo, with its lateral boundaries, can
also be taken into account. This enables a determination of the
position P and orientation of the spreading tool 16 relative to the
silo. A defined coordinate system KS is indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2
by an x axis that runs parallel to the direction of travel FR of
the utility machine 10, a z axis that runs parallel to the vertical
direction HR of the utility machine 10, and a y axis that runs
perpendicular to the x axis and the z axis.
A change of the position P of the spreading tool 16 takes place,
for example, via a determination and adjustment of a lift height of
the front hydraulic hitch 12, in particular by determining the
position of the lower hitch points 26. For this, a position sensor
34 determines the position of the lower link arm 28 and,
consequently, if the lower link arm geometry is known, the relevant
position of the lower hitch points 26 is known indirectly as
well.
The upper link arm 32 is equipped with a measurement system 40 for
determining the force acting along the upper link arm 32 in the
longitudinal direction, where the evaluation of the force will be
explained below by means of FIG. 2. The force can be determined by
means of the measurement system 40. In the embodiment example the
measurement system 40 contains a check valve block with two
pressure sensors 36, 38, which measure a hydraulic pressure on the
rod and piston side of a hydraulic cylinder on the hydraulic top
link arm 32. Via this pressure measurement and taking into account
the geometry of the hydraulic cylinder, the force on the hydraulic
upper link arm 32 can be determined. Alternatively, the measurement
system 40 can, in the case of a mechanical upper link arm 32, be
replaced, for example, by a force measurement bolt, which is
positioned on the upper hitch point 30 or on the opposite hitch
point between the upper link arm 32 and the support structure 11,
so as to determine the force on the upper link arm 32.
A change of the orientation of the spreading tool 16 takes place,
for example, via a determination and adjustment of an angular
position of the upper link arm 32 relative to the utility machine
10. For this, the upper link arm 32 is equipped with a measurement
system 42 for determining the orientation, i.e., an angular
position, of the upper link arm 32 relative to the utility machine
10. In one embodiment, the measurement system 42 is designed as an
inertial measurement unit integrated into a universal joint between
the upper link arm and the support structure 11. The inertial
measurement unit measures accelerations and rates of rotation in
all three spatial directions. The utility machine 10 likewise has
an inertial measurement unit 44. This can also be used to monitor
the orientation and dynamics of the utility machine 10. The angular
position of the upper link arm 32 relative to the utility machine
10 can be determined by comparing the sensor data of the two
inertial measurement units 42, 44. Alternatively, the angular
position can be determined by a length measurement system
integrated into the upper link arm 32 and via data about the
geometry of the front hydraulic hitch 12.
As already mentioned, the control device 22 serves in particular to
process data from the described sensor system and to control the
hydraulic hitches 12, 14. The memory unit 24 has a stored data bank
for storing data about the spreading or packing of the crop 18. For
example, this is machine-specific data (for example, the tires of
the utility machine, tire pressure, tire contact surface, tire
position, weight of utility machine, axle load distribution,
geometry of spreading tool, position of hitch points 26, 30 of the
spreading tool 16). In a cab 46 of the utility machine 10 is an
operator interface 48 with a visual indicator unit 50 (for example,
a display) and an input unit 52. The operator interface 48 serves
to input calibration and process parameters for visual
representation of the spreading or packing operations and for
assisted navigation of the utility machine.
A sensor system is, or measurement systems are, likewise disposed
on the rear hydraulic hitch 14 for determining, among other things,
the hydraulic hitch position (by means of a measurement system 54),
an angular position of an upper link arm 56 (by means of a
measurement system 58), and a force on the upper link arm 56. An
accessory 60 in the form of an added weight is mounted on the rear
hydraulic hitch 14. It serves to increase the total weight of the
utility machine 10 so as to increase the wheel loads and thus the
effective pressure on the tire contact surfaces 62 of the front
tires 64 and the tire contact surfaces 66 of the rear tires 68 of
the utility machine 10 for packing the crop 18. In principle, the
position or lift height and the orientation of the added weight 60
are also changed by means of a suitable control and setting of the
rear hydraulic hitch 14, i.e., analogous to the spreading tool 16,
in dependence on a position and orientation of the utility machine
10. The changes are controlled by the control device 22 so as to
optimize the wheel loads.
To unburden an operator of the utility machine 10, the position P
or the orientation of the spreading tool 16 is automatically set
and optionally automatically adjusted. In the automatic motion
control of the spreading tool 16, a differentiation is made between
a spreading operation and a packing operation with one or more
packing cycles.
FIG. 2 shows that in a spreading operation, the spreading tool 16
is motion controlled so that a defined working height 70 of the
spreading tool 16 is set relative to a reference surface 72. The
reference surface 72 is detected as a surface contour of the
already spread and packed crop 76 from previous passes of the
utility machine 10 along a spreading path 74. The already spread
and packed crop 76 lies on a bottom 78 of a bunker silo 80. The
working height is set in particular so that, depending on the
properties of the crop 18 and the packing ability of the utility
machine 10 (or another utility machine), the new layer of spread
crop 20 has a thickness of about 20 cm to 40 cm. For this, the
control device 22 controls the front hydraulic hitch 12, in
particular its lift cylinder 82, so that the spreading tool 16 or
its lower edge 84 is guided at the defined working height 70. As
desired, it can also be specified via the operator interface 48
that the orientation of the spreading tool 16 is readjusted during
the pass along the spreading path 74. If this function is
activated, the angular position of the upper link arm 32 is
determined by the measurement system 42, and the orientation of the
spreading tool 16 is indirectly determined by taking into account
the relevant position of the lower hitch points 26 derived by means
of the position sensor 34. By controlling the upper link arm 32,
the orientation of the spreading tool 16 can be readjusted so that
the spreading tool is always disposed perpendicular to the bottom
78 or to a reference surface 72 or to another reference plane,
regardless of a tilt angle of the utility machine 10. An
orientation that deviates from the vertical position of the
spreading tool 16 as in FIGS. 1 and 2 can also be set via the
operator interface 48 and the control device 22.
A spreading operation is already complete when the spreading tool
16, or the utility machine 10, has traversed the spreading path 74
in the forward direction FR_V a single time. At the end of a
spreading operation, thus after complete spreading of the crop 18,
the spreading tool 16 is automatically lifted relative to the
spread crop 20. A reverse travel of the utility machine 10 in the
reverse direction FR_R can then easily take place without any
hindrances. During a subsequent packing operation, the spreading
tool 16 also remains in the lifted position. Alternatively, the
spreading tool 16 can be exchanged for a packing tool, where to
avoid a time-consuming tool exchange, however, the spreading tool
16 is mounted on the front hydraulic hitch 12 and the packing tool
on the rear hydraulic hitch 14 of the utility machine 10.
The thickness of the layer of the newly spread crop, within a
region of permissible layer thicknesses (for example, from 20 to 40
cm), is estimated so that the crop 18 lying in front of the
spreading tool 16 becomes as much as possible uniformly spread
along the entire spreading path 74 of the silo 80 (for example, the
lengthwise extent of a silo). In particular, in the estimation, it
is also taken into account that after traversing the spreading path
74, no more crop 18 should be present in front of the spreading
tool 16. Correspondingly, the thickness is adjusted on the basis of
the amount of crop (for example, volume, mass) that is actually
being conducted in front of the spreading tool 16. For this, a mass
m_E of the crop 18 is estimated via an evaluation of the force on
the upper link arm 32 or a pressure difference .DELTA.p between the
two pressure sensors 36, 38 in measurement system 40. Here, the
pressure difference .DELTA.p is particularly dependent on a weight
force F_g of the spreading tool 16 and on forces F_v, which are
exerted on the spreading tool 16 during the operation of spreading
crop 18. Based on an evaluation of the pressure difference .DELTA.p
or the force on the upper link arm 32, one can determine what mass
m_E of crop 18 and thus what remaining crop 18_R is still in front
of the spreading tool 16. If an adjustment of the estimated layer
thickness is necessary for complete distribution of the crop 18 or
the remaining crop 18_R along the spreading path 74, the working
height 70 can be appropriately adjusted or changed while taking
into account a remaining path 74_R along the spreading path 74. It
should be noted here that the spreading path 74 and remaining path
74_R represented in FIG. 2 are indicated only schematically by
arrows and are not to scale.
The utility machine 10 is, in particular for night operation,
equipped with a plurality of lighting units 86, 88, 90. The
adaptive lighting system has a plurality of LEDs, which can be
individually activated and deactivated or switched on and off. The
individually controllable LEDs allow them to be controlled in
dependence on the current operating area of the utility machine 10.
In this way, the lighting units 86, 88, 90 can react, for example,
to changes of position or orientation of the spreading tool 16.
Consequently, the current operating area in front of or behind the
utility machine 10 can be optimally lighted without any operator or
driver of other machines (for example, driver of a loader wagon
with new crop) becoming blinded. The lighting units 86, 88, 90 can
also be differently controlled in dependence on forward or reverse
travel.
During a packing operation, the number of packing cycles still to
be carried out before a new spreading operation can be carried out
can be shown to an operator or driver of the utility machine 10 on
the display unit 50. For this, a packing that has already taken
place during the current packing operation, i.e., a current packing
density V_akt, is determined. Specific parameters P_ma of the
utility machine 10 (or another utility machine used for the
packing), specific parameters P_eg of the crop 18, and the number
Z_akt of packing cycles already conducted during the current
packing operation are taken into account for this determination
according to FIG. 3. The value of the determined current packing
density V_akt is compared with a preset value of a minimum packing
density V_min. The value of the minimum packing density V_min is
dependent on properties or parameters of the crop 18. The values of
the minimum packing densities V_min are stored in the memory unit
24. Depending on the result of the comparison between the current
packing density V_akt and the minimum packing density V_min, an
additional number Z_zus of packing cycles that are still to be
carried out during the current packing operation is determined and
signalled to the display unit 50. If the determined current packing
density V_akt reaches or exceeds the associated minimum packing
density V_min, no additional packing cycles are carried out. During
a packing operation, the determined number Z_zus of additional
packing cycles can be updated.
The number Z_akt of packing cycles already carried out and the
number Z_zus of additional packing cycles can also be referred to
individual defined surface segments of the reference surface 72. A
packing cycle consists of a forward pass in the forward direction
of travel FR_V and a reverse pass in the reverse direction of
travel FR_R. Alternatively, the packing cycle consists of only one
forward or reverse pass. A packing cycle can be related to a pass
along the entire packing path 74 or to a pass along a segment of
the packing path 74 for a surface segment of the reference surface
72.
If a plurality of utility machines 10 is used to fill the silo 80,
they can communicate by means of an electronic interface 92 (for
example, a mobile radio network) and exchange data regarding the
achieved packing density, etc., for individual surface segments of
the reference surface 72 and with respect to planned or established
packing and spreading operations.
While exemplary embodiments incorporating the principles of the
present disclosure have been disclosed hereinabove, the present
disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Instead,
this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or
adaptations of the disclosure using its general principles.
Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from
the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice
in the art to which this disclosure pertains and which fall within
the limits of the appended claims.
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